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Posted 5/25/2020 8:27 PM (GMT 0)
I would like some opinions on my post op pain please. I am having what I think is bladder pain. It is dead center of my lower abdomen. It is a continuous pain which is helped by uribel and opiate pain meds somewhat? Not great relief however. I am not having visible blood in urine today which is surprising to me. I am also having quite a lot of lower back pain. Again lower back pain dead center. Both the bladder pain and lower back pain are exactly inline.

I don't have a fever or feel like I have an infection. My wife and sister think I should call the surgeon on call and explain what is going on. Of course today is a holiday and I don't want to bother the dr. My question is does this sound like just regular post op pain three days after Brackytherapy?

Thanks for any help anyone offers.
Posted 5/25/2020 8:34 PM (GMT 0)
It's probably nothing serious, but I would still call--that's why they have doctors on call and I'm sure they've got lots of calls before on holidays. Hope you start to feel better soon!
Posted 5/25/2020 9:02 PM (GMT 0)
I wouldn’t hesitate to call. I had RP surgery about 6 weeks ago and I reached out off-hours a few times to the urologist on call for symptom that had me concerned about an infection - and I certainly would have called if I was experiencing the symptoms you described. Good luck!
Posted 5/25/2020 9:36 PM (GMT 0)
There is no day in 365(or 366) that I wouldn't call the Dr. if I had your symptoms. This forum & Dr Google are no substitute. Listen to your wife & sister.
Posted 5/25/2020 10:33 PM (GMT 0)
Call them. I didn't have that sort of pain post-brachy, and I doubt most of us who had the treatment did.
Posted 5/26/2020 1:10 AM (GMT 0)
Make that one more vote for calling. This is what doctors get paid the big bucks for. In my experience -- I had some unexpected troubles during recovery from RP -- the doctor wants you to call if you're in pain and worried, and doesn't want you triaging yourself.
Posted 5/26/2020 2:31 AM (GMT 0)
Call em!
Posted 5/26/2020 11:47 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you everyone for the advice. I toughed it out yesterday but will call today if things ramp up again. In the past I would take bentyl first thing in the morning and my bladder would calm down. Now after surgery the pain stays fairly high throughout the day. So far this morning pain is low. I will wait and see how I feel today. My urologist diagnosed me with painful bladder syndrome in the past which he said is the new name for interstitial cystitis. I will call today if pain gets worse.

Thanks again.
Posted 5/26/2020 12:15 PM (GMT 0)
Ocean, I'm late to answer you but I urge you to call the doctors this morning. What you are experiencing is NOT typical post-Brachy and something is wrong. Frankly, by the third day I was pretty much back to normal. Your other bladder issues may be at fault but in any case please contact the doctors!

Jim
Posted 5/26/2020 2:19 PM (GMT 0)
Call your surgeon, he works for you.
It may be bladder spasms you are having, easily treatable with meds.
Take care.
Posted 5/26/2020 2:48 PM (GMT 0)
Hope the pain subsides soon Ocean. So sorry sad
Posted 5/26/2020 4:46 PM (GMT 0)
It is almost 1 pm now and my pain is low. I feel maybe I have turned a corner today. I was going to call the dr if my pain ramped back up today. I would like some advice though please. I almost always have bladder pain which an anti spasmotic will help control. Unfortunately I suffer from a few different issues so its hard to keep everything straight. I have IBS and take meds for it. I also suffer from painful bladder syndrome. Meds for that also.

I was thinking of calling my urologist and getting a bladder scoping done to see what is going on. I would wait a few weeks to let my seed implants settle down.

I am saddened that I am at retirement age yet I don't feel very well most of the time. For the last five years I have had bladder pain. It seems like every so often I go through a bout of prostatitis. Then came the diagnosis of cancer. Now I need to try to get my bladder pain better controlled.

Any advice is welcome. I am just tired of the drs appointments and pain.

Thanks everyone.
Posted 5/26/2020 5:20 PM (GMT 0)

oceanfisher58 said...

Any advice is welcome.

LOL. Except call the Doctor. Glad you are feeling a little better. With all the other conditions you mentioned, I 100% would be calling the Doctor. Any Doctor.
Posted 5/26/2020 7:23 PM (GMT 0)
Ocean, I’m glad you’re feeling somewhat better. I don’t have any personal experience with the issues you’re facing but with those complexities in the mix, that to me is all the more reason to call the doctor NOW, even though you may be feeling a little better. I would turn away from this computer screen NOW and pick up the phone.

Again, good luck and I hope it’s nothing but you need to reach out to your doctor, IMHO.
Posted 5/27/2020 1:48 AM (GMT 0)
Ok guys, I give up. I have three urologists, one oncologist, one neurologist, one neurosurgeon, one primary care dr, one pain management dr and one gastroenterologist. I know it sounds like a lot of drs and truthfully I need them all as I seem to have much going on in my life. Most of it is painful.

Most of today I felt fairly well. This afternoon my bladder pain rose up again. After a while I get tired of all the stress of drs and differing diagnosis. Here is my list.
1. Degenerative disc disease. I have had a two level cervical fusion and need another as the level below my fusion is now bad. The pain from this has caused my other drs to send me to pain management as well as a neurologist. Nerve entrapment is quite painful.
2. IBS. I get colon pain quite often. Been scoped both upper and lower GI. I get diverticulitis every few years for some reason. Acid reflux is an issue for me also.
3. Prostatitis is another issue I hate with a passion. I am not sure how many of you guys here suffer with it but I have had to deal with it for many years before being diagnosed with PCa.
4. Migraine headaches. I have no idea why I have these other than maybe my degenerative disc disease. My neurologist handles both my headaches and my nerve entrapment from the degenerative disc disease.

Alright, tomorrow I will call one of my urologists and try to find out why I still have bladder pain and lower back pain. Today was a fairly low pain day but it never stays low for very long.

As much as my conditions are painful I try to laugh when I can. I really appreciate everyone here and their thoughtfulness. This group of people are exceptionally kind. Thank you so very much. I will let you know how it goes.
Posted 5/27/2020 8:43 AM (GMT 0)
Oceanfisher, now I know why it's so hard to get an appointment with a urologist: You're hogging them all!

Glad to hear you're going to succumb to peer pressure and call one of them.
Posted 5/27/2020 2:44 PM (GMT 0)

Hello OceanFisher58 ----

Sincerely hoping you can get some relief from the discomfort you have described.

As you have described, there are some complexities involved, and one situation can compound other issues ... and can certainly lead to a patient having "treatment fatigue" ---- where you literally don't even want to THINK about one more appointment, lab test, scan, treatment, procedure, or consultation.

More than anything, we all want the best for you, in all ways possible.

I am mindful of you, and sending you a line of support and encouragement today.

With my best,
Cyclone - # Iowa State University
Posted 5/27/2020 4:46 PM (GMT 0)
I want to thank everyone again for all the help. Today so far is a low pain day. I have a new med added to help me with all this. Toradol. Better living through pharmacology!!!

Honestly I feel like I have prostatitis. I hate feeling like this. I hope the anti inflammatory med will help with this. I live in NC but my dr is in Va. Urology of Virginia. I was told to keep taking my meds and be aware of any signs of infection. Of course I am to call if things change.

I hope when I am over all this I can help others going through this nasty disease.
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